


Making Music

by wingsofthenight



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Dorne, Female Bonding, Gen, Music, some discussion of cultural differences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:00:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27164203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsofthenight/pseuds/wingsofthenight
Summary: Elia and Mellario bond over a love of music and a suggestion of putting their talents to use for their family.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 20
Collections: Southern Renaissance (Dorne Renaissance)





	Making Music

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rogercat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogercat/gifts).



> Prompt from Rogercat: Elia and Mellario bonding over something in common (we need to see them together more!)

“Oh! You play the cello?”

Mellario looked up from where she was sorting through some of her books, something she refused to leave to the servants, to see her new goodsister staring at her cello with a positively gleeful expression. “I do,” she said, standing and walking over to her to stroke her favorite instrument, the one they had transported to Dorne with great care. “My mother saw my talent from an early age and chose to cultivate it. I had the best teachers to be found in Norvos.”

Elia smiled at her. “Finally, someone else in the family that I can play with!”

“Oh?”

“Yes. You probably know that Doran is atrocious at singing or making music in general.”

Mellario couldn’t stop her laugh at that if she tried. “He certainly is,” she said fondly. She remembered them bonding over a romantic story, and her jokingly asking her husband why he did not serenade her on her balcony like the man in the story did.

Ten minutes later, they were laughing at how tone-deaf he was after she had convinced him to show her, and she made him promise never to try and serenade her, something he had sworn with no little amount relief.

Elia laughed as well. “Oberyn is better, but he’s never had the patience to try and learn how to play an instrument, no matter how much I tried to convince him. Neither did my cousin Myria Gargalen. It was only me and Ashara Dayne in the lessons whenever she was here. I preferred the flute, and she the drums, but we both enjoy singing and learning new songs.”

“Would you be willing to teach me some Dornish songs? I do not feel confident enough to sing in Rhoynish, but I would be happy to learn songs in Westerosi.”

“Of course! In fact, if you would like, we can even practice songs together and put on a concert for our family whenever you wish.”

“What?” Mellario breathed, not having expecting that at all.

Elia frowned, brow furrowing. “Do you not do that in Norvos, have small concerts for your family alone?” she asked, no judgment in her voice, only simple curiosity.

Mellario looked away from her goodsister, looking down at her instrument and gently tracing the strings. “No,” she said finally. “We play for the children occasionally, but concerts are only reserved for when guests have arrived. Music is one of the ways we are expected to entertain them.”

Silence reigned for a bit. Not a suffocating silence, but a simple thoughtful one. It sadly did not make her feel any less uncomfortable.

Finally, Elia said, “We can invite some of our cousins to visit if you wish. They would not mind visiting, and we could perform for them.”

“Invite them if you wish,” Mellario said slowly, “but I would not mind performing only for our family here in Sunspear.”

“Are you certain?”

She nodded, a small smile appearing on her face as she looked back at her. “I do not mind the idea of performing only for our family. I was simply surprised.”

Elia smiled back at her. “Not many people play the cello here in Dorne, so I may have to ask around and see if there would be any issues with using it for some of our songs, but that should not take too long. Are there any types of songs that you would like to start with?”

Mellario’s smile only grew. “I am more than willing to leave that decision up to you. You have impeccable taste.”

That got Elia to blush and call her a flatterer before quickly changing the subject and asking her to play for her.

They would have to go back to their duties soon, acclimating her to her role as the future Princess Consort of Dorne, but she had days like this to look forward to now.

**Author's Note:**

> Do cellos exist in this series? I mean I don't really care because for some reason the idea of Mellario being able to play it just seemed fitting and I really didn't want to use a harp, but I wonder still.
> 
> Anyway, Mellario and Elia are the musical people in the family. Doran refuses to subject people to his lack of ability. Oberyn is decent, but has no desire to actually learn. Ellaria is slightly better than Doran, she has that at least. I haven't decided on the younger kids, but I kind of like the idea of Arianne not having a good singing voice, but being pretty good with instruments.
> 
> If you want to send me a prompt, just send me an ask at sunontherhoyne.tumblr.com!


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